


7 Cans

by danisapunk



Category: Steam Powered Giraffe
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, you can decide whether or not they're family or dating or whatever
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-18 09:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21675490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danisapunk/pseuds/danisapunk
Summary: The Jon wants to spend time with his friends.
Relationships: The Jon/Hatchworth, The Jon/The Spine, The Jon/Upgrade, The Jon/Zer0
Comments: 12
Kudos: 33





	1. Monday

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! uhh general housekeeping: 
> 
> \- I'm still newish to spg so forgive any glaring errors.
> 
> \- all the relationships in this are ambiguous except Jon and Rabbit because Rabbit is canonically a Lesbian, but apart from that read any of these as romantic, I personally ship JonSpine and UpJon so that may have come through a bit idk.
> 
> \- Rabbit is very ooc I'm aware
> 
> \- I don't know anything about Hatchworth really I never watch videos of him but I tried.
> 
> \- If you just want fluff just skip the last two chapters.

7 cans

“What the hell Jon?!” Upgrade yelled being dragged out of her stasis viciously by the golden bot pushing her aside.

“Sorry Pinkie, I gotta get these blankets,” The Jon said without stopped gathering all of her blankets and pillows in a basket.

“Oi those are mine!” 

“You’re not using them,” The Jon said, picking up a cushion off her fainting couch letting her hand-sewn dolly fall on the floor in his carelessness.

“What on earth are you doing?” Upgrade asked, more curious than angry, but still angry.

“I’m making the biggest blanket fort ever,” The Jon said, excitedly tipping up his hat, an automatic tick he’d gotten after years of performance.

“I’ll help you if I get to be the princess of it.”

The Jon pondered for a second before picking up one of Upgrade’s many tiaras and putting it in her messy hair. “Alright Princess, let’s build.” and he put the basket of blankets and pillows in her arms before rushing out the door to grab another basket and head down to the next room in the Manor.

Upgrade sighed and pushed the tiara up onto her head with a fond smile, fixing her dolly back on her couch and followed the playful bot out to play.

They took the large ex-ballroom on the first floor as their home base, rigging up boxes and ladders to make the walls high, they used pegs and safety pins to keep blankets stretched over the long spaces and laid every pillow they could find on the ground, by the end of it the entire room was just blankets and Upgrade was sitting on a pile of pillows with a grin.

“My first decree as Princess of pillow land is that The Jon is now my good night, Sir Jonathan.” She declared to the gold robot and all the teddy bears and dolls they had collected to play with.

She leant over and tapped the head and shoulders of The Jon, who was kneeling with his hat in front of him.

“I dub thee! Sir Jonathan!” She declared handing him the sword.

“I will protect you with my life, your highness,” He said very seriously before jumping up and threatening a porcelain doll with his sword, making Upgrade giggle. 

“It’s not official yet!” Upgrade declared. “You need a royal kiss!”

The Jon lifted up his hat with a giggle then bowed over to be the same height as Upgrade. The pink robot leaned forward and kissed his cheek and then nose for good measure. 

“There! Now it’s official.”

The Jon stood up again and put his hat back on and grinned as he let steam out. 

“Now I can be your knight?” 

“Yup!” 

“Perfect! And with that, he turned his sword back towards to the doll with a yell and started dramatically miming out the battle, pretending to be hit and retaliate to Upgrades pleasure, at last with a loud grunt he thrust forward then fell back, barely missing Upgrade, and with a sigh, he grabbed her hand.

“Avenge… me….”

“You’re the worst knight ever I’m taking back my kisses,” Upgrade said tugging her hand away.

“Worth it,” He said exaggeratedly whispering then letting his head fall back dramatically.

“Oh gosh, now what will I do, my only knight is dead.” Upgrade pondered out loud before standing, Jon looked over to see her dramatically reading from what looked like a leather-backed cover of Les Miserables that was so heavy she was leaning over.

“This magic spell book says that only a tear from a maiden or true loves kiss will heal a fallen knight!” She said, throwing the book down and walking over, she leaned over The Jon and giggled. “So you’re fucked.”

This made Jon sit up offendedly and cry out; “Hey!”

“What? no one loves you,” she shrugged.

“You’re mean Upgrade.” The Jon humphed, crossing his arms.

“And you’re dead,” she pointed out.

The Jon stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry before turning away once more.

Upgrade sighed with a grin and kissed his cheek dramatically. “There, you’re alive now.”

“I thought it said a true loves kiss?” Jon asked turning to face her again.

“I’m everyone’s true love because everyone loves me.”

“Fair enough.” and with that, he took his sword again and starting attacking the air.

Upgrade refilled his tank that night and bid him goodnight with a kiss on his cheek, and he bowed once more to his princess, giving her the doll he’d moved from her room into the pillow fort.

“Goodnight Sir Jon.” 

“Goodnight your highness.”

And with that, he ran down the hall to his room.


	2. Tuseday

6 cans

Rabbit was quietly fiddling with her accordion, playing Over The Moon as she would often do when bored or it was too quiet.

“Rabbit!” The Jon yelled running into her room at top speed and peaking over the top of a bundle of clothes.

“The Jon what on earth are you holding?” Rabbit asked standing up and putting down her accordion.

“How much respect do you have for Pappy?” The Jon asked, putting the clothes on a table.

“Very little, what is that?” she asked looking over the large bundle of black and red clothes.

“I found these dresses in a box labelled Delilah, I was weirded out but then I realised you were built to look like her so even if your face isn’t the same your body is, which means these would fit you,” he announced with a proud grin.

“Why do you think I’d want dusty old clothes?” Rabbit asked, tugging on her hair a little as she tried to see what piece The Jon was pulling out from the pile.

Instead of responding Jon turned around dramatically and held up a black ballgown clearly slightly older than 1890s but still beautiful, he lifted it up to Rabbit’s body with a grin and she beamed.

“This is so beautiful Jon, you want me to have it?” Rabbit asked looking it up and down. 

“Well I don’t own the clothes and the guy who did is dead, so,” The Jon handed her the dress and started digging through the pile of clothes for other things to see if anything else would pique the interest of his sister. 

“Hold on I’ll get changed into this, I’m sure modern bras work for-”

“Corset!”

“Yes, that was what I was gonna say, Jon.” 

“No I mean I found a corset.”

“Oh that makes sense,” Rabbit agreed, taking the corset, she moved behind a folding screen which she had because it quote “Looked really cool and goth and [she] was both goth and cool."

“Help me with these laces?” She asked tugging on them and trying to make it fit comfortably over her boiler.

Jon nodded and did them up and helped Rabbit pull the dress over her head and lace it up as well.

“It could use some petticoats but that’s something I can deal with later, look!” She twirled letting the dress and her hair spin around her. “I’m so pretty! I look like a vampire queen!” 

“You are! Ooh you could turn this into a show outfit if you shortened the dress a bit,” Jon commented fiddling with the dress, it was black with red lace in simple designs around the entire skirt and the top of the bodice, it had long sleeves with a puff at the top and a high neckline and it fit Rabbit perfectly.

“I’d need to make it work without a corset, just let it out at the waist a little not too hard, and if I shortened the skirt and put a hole in for my boiler it’d be perfect. I wonder if I can get someone to help me edit it,” She muttered looking in the mirror with a fond smile. “Oh The Jon this is the prettiest dress I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m glad you like it! Hey!” Jon grabbed her hand and tugged her out of her room down the hall to a larger room that was once a ballroom but now was used as makeshift storage, it still had the large open area in the middle, all the blankets from his shenanigans the previous day had been cleared away leaving a large empty room with just an old gramophone.

The Jon let go of Rabbit, running into a corner and putting a vinyl on the large gramophone and taking his top hat off to bow to the copper and porcelain robot. 

“May I have this dance?” He asked with a smirk in his voice. Rabbit played with her hair, twirling it around a ball-jointed finger with an exaggerated valley girl giggle.

“I suppose you may,” She said with a grin taking his hand. He put his hat back on and put his hand on her waist and started to waltz.

She was slightly clumsy and almost fell when her shorter brother tried to dip her but they spun around the room for one song, then slowly lost form over the next song and the next, staring to just spin and jump and sing as loud as they could until they were laughing and letting off steam to try and cool down.

Rabbit refilled The Jon’s tank and kissed his cheek with a giant grin. 

“I’m gonna see if a Walter Worker can help me edit this dress, thank you for tonight Jon.” 

The Jon bowed, taking his hat off again and grinned. “Anything for you Rabbit.”


	3. Wednesday

5 cans

“Hatchworth!!!!” The Jon yelled running into Hatchworths room.

“Present!” Hatchworth announced jumping up with a grin. “What do you need Jonny boy?”

“I want to go to the zoo but Michael will only take me if I’m going with someone.” To that Hatchworth gasped. 

“A travesty! We must get you to see the cute animals immediately!” Hatchworth declared, grabbing The Jon and walking out with him purposefully.

The car was filled with Hatchworth excitedly talking about facts about badgers as they drove, Michael would check on the boys every once in a while looking back in the mirror to see them talking loudly.

“Did you know honey badgers are carnivores?” Hatchworth asked excitedly.

“I did no-” 

“And Badgers will bite you and not stop until they hear a bone break so in Sweden they’ll put eggshells in their boots to fool them!” Hatchworth interrupted.

The Jon blinked at the excited brass robot before grinning.

“That’s terrifying but cool,” Jon said.

“And they really like the taste of pickles.”

“Of course you know that.”

“We’re here!” Michael announced. “Have a good day, boys, no trying to free the monkeys.” 

“No promises Mr Reed!” Jon said hopping out of the car and dragging Hatchworth up to the gate where he gave over tickets and ran inside. “Come on we gotta see the giraffes first they’re my favourite.”

The Jon lead Hatchworth through his favourite exhibits, showing him where he’d always go when they played here in 2012 and how to get the closest to the meerkats.

In return, Hatchworth would tell The Jon facts about every animal.

“Flamingoes are pink because they eat lots of shrimp!” Hatchworth said looking over the enclosure of pink birds.

“I wonder if humans turn pink when they eat shrimps a lot?” The Jon pondered with a grin.

“We could ask Michael to test, I bet we can make him eat lots of shrimp.”

“Yeah!”

“Did you know that sometimes it takes Sloths so long to digest their food that they die of starvation?” 

“That’s sad Hatchy!” Jon protested looking at the happy looking dopey animals.

“They can also grow moss on their fur.”

“That’s cute! So I forgive you.” 

“Thank you.” 

Eventually, they got bored of wandering around and decided to play some games, they found the childrens section and drew things and played with stuffed animals while learning about more animal facts. Then they wandered to the gift shop and picked out little toys.

“Oh! this birdie is pink like Upgrade!” Jon said excitedly, “maybe she’d like it?” 

“She totally will, would Spine like this giraffe do you think?” Hatchworth asked holding up a black and white giraffe from a box of multicolour plushies that had a striking resemblance to the tall fedora-wearing robot.

“Totally, he always makes us look at the giraffes!” Jon said excitedly.

“Excuse me what are you?” a little boy asked looking wide-eyed up at the robots.

“Why we’re robots!” The Jon announced excitedly, “We were built in 1896 by Peter Walter I and we play music!”

“Are you any good?” The little boy asked cocking his head.

“Oh, well we don’t have all our instruments or we’d show you,” Jon explained awkwardly.

“Wait so you can’t sing?” The boy grumbled. “Boring!”

“We can just-”

“I don’t care!” and with that, the boy pushed past and walked over to his parents again.

“It’s alright Jonny boy, he’s just a kid he’s not that bright.” Hatchworth comforted. “Wanna help me find things for Zer0 and Rabbit?” 

Jon brightened up quickly and helped search the shop for souvenirs. 

They hopped into the car and handed Michael a snake slap band which the engineer grinned over, putting it on quickly.

Rabbit got a shiny lioness that they both agreed looked just like her, Upgrade got her pink bird and Spine the black and white giraffe and Zer0 got a little whale that he grinned over and announced he’d name Bluey.

Jon bought a badger which he gave to Hatchworth which made the brass robot squeal.

Hatchworth refilled The Jon’s tank and hugged him really hard. 

“Today was really fun Jon, we should hang out more,” Hatchworth said with a big grin.

“We should,” The Jon said with a smile. And hugged Hatchworth again before bidding him goodnight.


	4. Thursday

4 cans

“It’s raining,” Jon sighed looking out the window. “I wanted to play outside.”

“You could use an umbrella?” Zer0 suggested patting The Jon’s back with a firm and large hand.

“It’s not the same,” The Jon sighed sitting down on the couch he’d been kneeling on. “I wanted to play!!”

“You can play inside?” Zer0 said with a questioning tone.

“It’s not the same, I wanna play tag and hide and seek and climb a tree!” Jon pouted. 

“We can do most of that inside, I'm sure we’ll find something to climb,” Zer0 said standing up with a grin, he pulled up The Jon by his hands and tapped his shoulder. “Tag you’re it.” and he ran.

The Jon jumped and ran out of the lounge, barely clearing the side of the coffee table and bolting down the same hallway as Zer0.

Zer0 ran through a door on the side leading up stars, The Jon caught him on the way up and bolted up past him onto the second story before he could catch him.

The Jon opened and closed the door to a different hallway before rushing into the bathroom, Zer0 rushed down the hall and Jon ran back down the stairs into the hall again and followed it down into the kitchen and out that door to the foyer. 

“Oi! That’s cheating Jon!” Zer0 cried, chasing him down but with a significant distance. 

“Not my fault you’re slow!” Jon yelled back, blowing a raspberry and running up the stairs in the foyer into the library. 

He ducked behind a bookshelf and pulled a lever and ran a circuit to distract Zer0 before ducking in as soon as the secret doorway opened. 

“Woah I’ve never seen this before,” Zer0 gasped slowing to a walk. 

“The Manor!” Jon yelled already far down the tunnel. “Was built with many secret passages! And I know where they are!” 

“Can we truce? I wanna see more!” Zer0 said with wide-eyed wonder.

“Fine, truce!” Jon said stopping. “This brick leads up to the lab.” He said pressing on a brick that had three Xs carved on it. “The Xs mark each switch, there were two back that way, one to the basement and one to Pappy’s room, then down the hall there’s one more to the storage space we stay when getting repaired,” Jon explained. 

He moved down the tunnel that was slowly shortening until Zer0 could barely squeeze through, only once Zer0 was struggling did Jon press on the brick with four Xs and have a large stairwell open up. Jon rushed up the stairwell to the storage room. 

“Now down the hall from here there’s a painting of Pappy’s Grandfather Arthur Walter III and behind it is a door with a staircase to the top floor.” Jon said walking out of the room and down the hall with purpose, making his voice sound like a tour guide's. 

"If you see that loose panel on the wall over there that goes down to a bunker with oil, Crystal Pepsi, water and human food in it, but we haven't used it since the cold war and it's mostly used for keeping the last of my Pepsi safe. It leads into the Basement which is how I get to the stash normally." Jon explained skipping down the hall and rushing at top speed up the stairs at the end of the hall.

He pushed down the rug on the stairs and pulled up a trapdoor that melded perfectly to the stairs. 

"Go down." He ordered hopping in first and letting his eyes start to glow to lead the way. Zer0 nodded and carefully followed the carefree robot down the tunnel. 

When they emerged they were at the foot of the giant Steam Powered Giraffe, without missing a beat the Jon ran over to the back left leg, diagonally across from where they came out, and began to climb the built-in ladder, every robot in the manor knew this way up and it was often a place you could find them just sitting and thinking.

The pair climbed the Giraffe and just as Zer0 was stopping to admire the view, The Jon had found another ladder and climbed to the head of the giraffe. Zer0 warily followed and finally the little golden robot stopped and looked over the room.

"How do you find all these secret passages?" Zer0 asked, looking down nervously and holding Jon's hand to find comfort.

"I've lived here for 122 years, I know my way around,” Jon said nonchalantly, leaning his head on Zer0’s shoulder. “I’ll show you everything I know.”

“I’d like that.”

“They sat on the head of the giraffe for 10 minutes before they began to climb down, Jon began to stutter and lag and so rushed down another hidden tunnel to get more pepsi for Zer0 to refill him with.

Zer0 gave The Jon a tight hug and kissed the top of his head (which Jon had removed his hat for)

“Today was loads of fun!” Zer0 said with a grin. “We should play hide and seek together sometime.”

“We will!” The Jon declared excitedly. “Goodnight!” 

“Goodnight Jon!”


	5. Friday

3 cans.

The Jon dramatically knocked on the door to the Hall Of Wires. The Spine sighed and opened it with a stern glare.

“What?”

“You’re hanging out with me!” The Jon announced pushing past with a large box of craft supplies in his arms.

“Says who?” The Spine asked, closing the door and turning to face Jon regardless.

“Uhh, the fact that this week every day I’ve spent time with one of you and now it’s your turn?” Jon said cocking his head to the side like an inquisitive beagle.

“I guess that makes sense. What’s all this?” Spine looked over the box that was practically squashing the small robot.

“My crafty box! I’ve been collecting items since the 50s and I have a huge collection of craft supplies, I wanna make things!” The Jon grinned. Spine took the box out of Jon’s hands and lead him down a narrow path past all the wires to a platform where the wires had moved to make walls in a dome shape, there were posters on the back wall which was the only one not made up of wires, the oldest poster was from-

“1903.” Jon breathed. “I remember this, it was a perfect day and Rabbit wouldn’t stop talking about how smooth her arms were moving, so much she interrupted a song.”

“And you were trying to dance and tripped over onto Upgrade,” Spine said, teasingly tugging on one of Jon’s curls.

Jon looked over to where Spine had put the box on the floor in front of a coffee table. 

“How come I’ve never been here?” The Jon asked, looking over the little room again. 

“I don’t let people down here, ever,” Spine said starting to pull out paper and crayons from the box.

“But you let me?” Jon pointed out taking a black crayon and sitting down to draw.

“You’re a special exception because you’re my favourite,” Spine said in a stage whisper to make The Jon giggle. 

“Am I? Well, gee Spine! You’re my favourite too!” Jon said, he didn’t actually have favourites but he wanted Spine to think that the feeling was mutual.

"What are you drawing?" Spine asked looking at the piece of paper Jon was scribbling on.

"You!" Jon exclaimed excitedly, holding up a half-finished, and incredibly messy, doodle of The Spine. "Do you like it?" He asked with a grin.

"I love it, Jon, Maybe I'll draw you too and we can swap." And with that thought, he grabbed a gold canyon and started to draw his friend.

Somehow The Jon's came out a lot nicer, Spine sighed handing the barely recognisable mess.

"How do you make it look so easy and messy at once you're really quite spectacular Jon." He said with a smile, taking the drawing of himself and admiring it.

“I’ve been doing this for ages,” Jon said nonchalantly as he took another piece of paper and started digging through scraps in his box for anything blue. 

Spine followed suit, pulling out a roll of tape from the box and standing to tape the drawing on his wall, he noticed in the corner Jon had doodles a little hat and bow tie and his name and smiled fondly as he taped it up.

They sat in comfortable silence while pasting together little things, Jon was secretive about everything he made as he wrote in crayon on the back of every page. 

“Hey Spine, why do you keep all these posters?” Jon asked quietly, looking around the room and hiding what he was making with his body.

“I like to remember,” Spine said plainly. “I like remembering every day I’ve spent with everyone.” 

“That’s sweet,” Jon sighed, putting his art in one of the many small boxes he had and moving over to sit next to Spine and lean into his side. “Tell me about that one?” He asked pointing up at a poster on the wall.

“That’s a drawing Rabbit made promoting some of our miscellaneous performances at Balboa Park, she was so proud she printed 20 and put them around town while we walked over.”

“I remember, she was so cheerful, she was rarely that happy back then, she’s so happy now.” Jon murmured.

“She is,” Spine sighed. “Those postcards were from Wendy the Walter Girl, she would take photos and mail them to me from wherever she went.” 

“That's the girl you wrote Photographic Memories about?" Jon asked quietly, accepting the silent nod as a yes.

“I miss her,” Spine sighed, he sat up again. “But the past will just make us sad, and I have you don’t I? I can’t be sad with you here.”

The Jon beamed widely and threw his arms around The Spine in a huge hug. “You’re my favourite ever,” he said with a loving sigh.

“You’re my favourite too, Jon,” Spine said ruffling The Jon’s hair.

The Jon sat back and grabbed more supplies and started drawing again with a giant grin. Eventually, he held up the drawing with a bit of felt stuck on for two hats and showed The Spine, it was a higher quality of them together with the same hat and tie signature in the bottom.

“Thank you, Jon,” Spine said sincerely, kissing The Jon’s forehead. “I’ll cherish it forever.” He stood and taped it to the wall next to the other drawing.

“Maybe we should do this more, I could get a collection,” Spine joked, looking back fondly at The Jon.

“I’ll draw lots for you Spine,” The Jon declared standing to his feet, he ran forward and gave The Spine a squeezing hug.

“We’ll do this again, you’re welcome any time, you and only you, anytime you need me I’m here for you,” Spine said with a smile stroking The Jon’s hair.

Jon was so happy he completely disregarded Rabbit’s signature hat & goggles in the corner or the wastebasket full of sandwiches. Instead, he stood on his tiptoes and kissed The Spine on the cheek.

“Can you refill my boiler?” Jon asked sweetly producing a can of Pepsi from his box. 

“Of course,” Spine said turning the golden bot around and filling him up via the hole in his back shoulder. “There good as new.”

The Jon picked up his box and headed up the path out of the Hall Of Wires.

“Goodnight Jon!” Spine called.

“Goodnight Spine!”


	6. Saturday

2 cans.

“A picnic Jon? You can’t eat,” Peter asked with a smile at the excited robot.

“I know but we can bring food for you humans and the rest of us can play in the park,” Jon explained excitedly.

“I don’t think we should go to the park on a Saturday Jon, you know how people get just seeing one or two of you, if all six of you and me and two Walter girls went to the park you’d be so busy explaining yourselves to play,” Peter said rubbing his fingers on his mask subconsciously.

“You’re right! We should just have a picnic on the grounds!” Jon cheered. “Oh, I’ll go get Michael to make you all food this will be so fun!” He said running off with a grin.

Peter shook his head fondly and turned back to his work, hoping to get some done before he's dragged out by his chaotic robots for the day, it was a nice day, it would be worth some time in the sun.

The Jon asked Michael to make some sandwiches, the engineer agreed quickly, liking the idea of a day out with his beloved robots. And he got to work preparing some picnic baskets.

"You go get everyone together I'll be done by the time you rouse everyone." Michael had ordered and The Jon had agreed wholeheartedly, rushing out of the kitchen off to go get everyone together.

"A picnic?" Upgrade had asked turning around from where she was fixing her dress in the mirror. "Well, that sounds lovely! My sir Jonathan could fight more people for me?" She said nudging Jon until he giggled and slapped away her hands. 

"Yeah! We'll play knights and princesses and make Spine a big scary dragon I can slay!" The Jon declared excitedly. He ran over to Upgrades vanity and picked up the same tiara he gave her before, placing it in her hair with a gentle smile. 

Upgrade stood up tall and kissed his cheek with a grin. 

"My knight, we will slay the scariest of dragons," she declared properly, before immediately giggling and starting to look in the mirror. "I'll be out in a second I want to look perfect for my court," she said fixing her hair carefully. 

Jon kissed her temple and ran out of the room with a grin to go find his sister. 

Rabbit was sitting in her room with a pile of fabric in her lap which she was examining closely.

"Oh! Jon! Perfect timing, help me lace up this dress and see if I missed anything!" She requested, going behind her folding screen, she came out and let The Jon lace up the back of what once was Delilah's ballgown. 

"Did I make any glaring mistakes?" Rabbit asked looking over the skirt as much as she could, she'd shortened it to be down above her knee and was wearing it with red petticoats and her red and black tights. 

"Nope!" The Jon announced after studying the skirt as much as possible. "You did perfect!" 

"Oh Jon it's so pretty I love it so much thank you for giving it to me." She sighed looking in the mirror. "Why I could do my hair up in a bun and it would be so pretty!" She gasped running over to her mirror to start doing her hair. 

"Rabbit? We're having a picnic in the gardens, all of us, if you'd like to come with us?" Jon mentioned quietly. 

"Really? That would be fun! I'd get to show everyone this dress! Oh but I wouldn't want to get it messy playing…" she pondered it for a moment before waving it off. "Oh it doesn't matter, I'd love for everyone to see my handiwork and I'll still play with you no worries!" 

"Wonderful! We're meeting in the Foyer just head out when you can!" Jon explained holding a pin Rabbit held out to him automatically. 

"This sounds fun, you've been very friendly this week, it's been nice to spend more time with you I can't believe we never do it," Rabbit commented pushing the Bobby pin into her hair and smiling as she pulled some strands loose. "Not to be a typical girl or anything but I feel so nice right now." 

"You look wonderful Rabbit!" 

"Thank you, Jonny, I'll see you in the Foyer I suppose."

Hatchworth's room was just a hall off from Rabbit's, his was distinct from even the outside, it was hard to mistake the bright orange colour of the door for anyone else.

It took two hard knocks to get Hatchworth to respond, his hat was off so you could see his circuitry and he looked dishevelled.

"Jon, why are you waking people up at this time?" He asked tiredly.

"11 am?" Jon asked cocking his head to the side before his hat started to slip.

"Yes, far too early."

"You don't even sleep?"

"I can pretend!" Hatchworth huffed, putting the top of his head back on. "What do you need Jon? Mike not taking you to the zoo again?" 

"We're having a picnic!" The Jon said cheerily. "All of us! Even Peter!"

"Peter VI or Peter V?" Hatchworth asked suspiciously.

"Peter VI." That made Hatchworth gasp. 

"How did you do it?" He asked wide-eyed. 

"I have my methods," The Jon smirked. "Hey! Upgrade and Rabbit are dressing up and looking nice if you'd like to as well?" He added as an afterthought. "We will be playing though so let that help you decide." 

"Well gee if Rabbit and Upgrade are I'd better not be the odd one out!" Hatchworth said with a grin. "I'll dress nice."

"Awesome! We're meeting in the Foyer whenever you're ready!" And with that Jon ran down the hall and up the stairs to where Zer0 stayed.

Zer0 had been very particular that his room wouldn't be anywhere near the basement so he was on the third floor. Fortunately, The Jon knew a secret passage right up to near his room so he got there in no time. 

"Zer0!" Jon called pushing open his door quickly, the room was empty except a Walter Worker.

"Zer0's downstairs, on the giraffe I think he said," the blue-haired girl said, scrubbing at the window. 

"Thank you!" The Jon called running out and down the tunnel again to the bottom floor where he could get to the giraffe room easily. 

"Zer0! You down here buddy?!" Jon called out emerging from the tunnel into the dim blue light of the room. 

"Yeah I'm here," the baritone robot called down. "I'll be down in a second what do you need Jon?" 

"We're having a picnic! Everyone's coming!" The Jon yelled up unable to see the top of the giraffe's body. 

Zer0 tapped him on his shoulder. "That sounds fun!" He said with a grin at the way Jon jumped a little.

"Will you come? We're dressing up a little and everything." The Jon explained, having it down to a script by now. 

"That sounds nice, of course I'll be there!" Zer0 said with a smile.

"Awesome we'll be- be- be- in the Foyer!" The Jon said ignoring his glitch or the fact that his movements felt slightly sluggish. 

"Jon you need more Pepsi, do you have any on you I can go grab you so-"

"No!" Jon interrupted loudly "I-I-I'll be fine, I have a can here." He said pulling out a can from seemingly nowhere. 

"Okay, I'll fill you up," Zer0 said taking the can and popping out the nozzle on The Jon's back. Jon held perfectly still letting the liquid fill up his boiler.

1 can.

The Jon was slower walking up to the hall of wires, well aware of what using his last can meant. 

"Spine? We're having a picnic!" The Jon still called through the door. 

"I'll be out in a second, Michael told me!" The Spine called back. 

"Okay! Well, dress nice! Everyone else is." He said this despite knowing he wouldn't dare waste time changing when he could be with his friends. 

"I will!" 

The walk back to the foyer was slow but he used shortcuts where he could, thinking of every time he'd used them before and wondering if Zer0 would spread the knowledge of his home's secrets well or if they'd die with him. 

Because he was gonna die. 

He let off steam and added a skip back into his step, somehow Spine had beat him there but he wasn't surprised considering how carefully he was moving. 

"Hey! Everyone ready?" He asked with a grin, not letting anyone see what he was thinking.

"Yep! Lead the way, sir Jonathan!" Upgrade said running over to take The Jon's arm with a grin. 

And so Jon lead them down to the gardens, Upgrade and He excitedly explained their game to everyone to the delight of all, except Spine who didn't want to be a dragon and instead decided to be an evil knight and get a cape. 

Rabbit was chosen as the princess of the neighbouring country to Pillow land, who had been kidnapped by Spine, an evil knight jealous of his brother—Prince Hatchworth, the heir to the throne after Rabbit—and decided to kidnap the princess to try and lure his brother out so he could take the throne, it had worked and now Sir Jonathan and his squire Zer0 were being sent by the princess of Pillow Land to save them.

Peter and Michael watched fondly as they made up this plan and the Walter girls sat back and ate sandwiches and talked between themselves, Walter Girl Chelsea at one point giggled over The Spine falling from one of Jon's attacks and The Spine almost died. 

The Spine was eventually defeated (and so was poor Zer0) and they cheered and yelled and whooped with excitement.  
Zer0 and Spine had to have their boilers refilled but Jon was fine. 

"We should play hide and seek!" Proposed Zer0 with a grin. "Anywhere in the manor, The Jon is Seeker."

"I'll count to 100," Jon said turning around against a tree and beginning to count.

"96.. 97… 98… 99… 100!" The Jon pulled away from the tree and looked around.

"Spine!" The silver robot was sitting on the blanket talking to the Walter Girls. 

"Sorry, Jon I got distracted." Spine shrugged not looking up.

"Well I found you, you gotta search with me!" The Jon cried, pulling Spine to his feet by an arm and tugging him away from the giggling sisters.

"You really are a killjoy you realise Jon?" Spine sighed, taking off Jon's hat to ruffle his hair.

"And you're a pain! But that's why we love you!" Jon said cheerfully, skipping down the path to the manor. 

They found Hatchworth by the duckling pond, he was hidden in reeds but his giggles gave him away. 

Rabbit was in one of the tunnels, and Upgrade in the ballroom. 

The group began to hunt for Zer0, they split up a little, staying in the same area but still separating to cover more area.

The third and second floors were scoured but the larger robot was nowhere to be found. 

Eventually, Jon lead them down to the Giraffe room hoping to find him there or in an adjacent room, Upgrade climbed the Giraffe, Spine took storage, Rabbit looked around the floor and Hatchworth went and looked in the lab in the back, The Jon took the bunker.

He pushed open the door to the well lit dusty room to see Zer0 looking around everywhere in it.

"Found you!" Jon cried with a grin. "But you were tough we looked all ove-"

"You said you stored your Pepsi here why isn't there any anywhere?" Zer0 asked quietly. 

"I keep as much as I can on myself," the Jon said not letting his panic show, pulling out a can.

"How many do you have on you?" Zer0 asked turning to face The Jon as the rest of the finding group crammed in the door, they began to talk but Zer0 silenced them.

"Just this one…" the Jon said shyly. 

"And where are the rest?"

"I…. Used them." 

The entire room felt stiflingly quiet, The Jon felt the stares of his entire family bare down on him.

"That's your last can?" Spine asked no louder than a whisper. The Jon nodded quietly and put the can back in his storage.

"How full are you?" Rabbit asked not much louder. 

"Half." 

"You have the rest of the day if you're slow." Spine pointed out.

"I don't wanna be slow I wanna play." Jon whimpered. "I want to have fun. My last can can be for rest I want one last normal day."

"And we'll play with you Jon," Hatchworth said with certainty. "You get your last normal day, the last can can wait."

The Jon was squished into a hug by everyone in the room and Upgrade took his hand and ran with him as Zer0 started counting to 100.


	7. Sunday

0 cans.

Peter filled The Jon up solemnly. 

"We'll try and get you back up as soon as possible I promise," VI whispered looking into Jon's wet eyes. 

"I don't wanna go, what if I wake up and it's all weird and you're gone and nothing's the same?" Jon whimpered. 

"It'll be like time travel, you'll get to see so much new stuff, and I won't leave without getting you back I promise." 

"I'm not ready to say goodbye," Jon whispered.

"It's less of a goodbye, more a see you later," Peter reassured. "I promise you'll be back soon."

"I trust you."

"Do you want to go spend your day with them?" 

"Of course."

The Jon walked through to the ballroom where his family was waiting for him, he fiddled with the pieces of paper in his hands and looked up at them.

Rabbit wore her ballgown, only slightly mussed from yesterday's shenanigans, Upgrade had her tiara, Hatchworth had a toy badger they bought at the zoo, Zer0 had his blue whale and Spine had a small drawing. 

They stood among a pile of teddy bears and pillows, there was a clear area with craft supplies and crayons and a gramophone playing Album One.

"You're all so sweet," The Jon whispered trying not to cry. "I don't wanna say goodbye." 

"We'll see you again Jon," Upgrade assured him with a gentle hand on his arm.

"You can't get rid of us that easy," Spine agreed, taking Jon's hat to kiss the top of his head. 

"We're gonna wait for you Jonny Boy," Hatchworth smiled throwing an arm around the Jon's shoulders. "No matter how long."

"And we'll never forget you," Rabbit added, kissing his cheek. 

"Oh just-" Zer0 sniffled. "Bring it in buddy!" He cried holding open his arms. Jon flung himself forwards and was caught by Zer0 and was ambushed by everyone else.

"I made things for you!" Jon gasped, grabbing the papers he'd abandoned on the floor when hugging Zer0. 

He stood and grabbed all the papers.

The first one was a little pink bird made of fake feathers glued into the right shape with a tiara. The back read.

"Upgrade, I love you, you're the sweetest princess I'll ever meet and so good to all of us. I hope you find a wonderful prince or princess you sweet hopeless romantic, I'll miss you. - Jon." 

Upgrade read it out loud covering her mouth as she read and burying her face in Zer0's shoulder when she finished hiding her tears.

Rabbit's was a lioness with goggles and different coloured eyes made with cellophane.

"Rabbit, you're the most wonderful sister I could ever ask for, getting to be with you and grow up with you has made me so lucky, keep being you, smile more and more, I love you. - Jon." 

Hatchworth's was a badger surrounded by sandwiches, the badger was soft to the touch because of felt on its fur. 

"Hatchworth, you're the funniest boy I've ever met, the day at the zoo was so much fun, you're so smart. Don't stop learning, I love you. - Jon."

Hatchworth pet the badger with a soft sad smile.

Zer0s was a whale made from three different colours of blue, a felt, corrugated cardboard and some card. 

"Zer0 you are so sweet and kind, you always try to make us happy and you usually succeed, and you give excellent hugs, I love you - Jon."

Zer0 held onto Upgrade and stroked her hair letting his own tears fall.

And finally Spines was a giraffe with stegosaurus spines and a cowboy hat, the spines were glittery. 

"Spine, I love you so much, you're stern but you love us, you always make me feel important even when you lie and say I'm the only one allowed in the hall of wires, I saw Rabbit's hat, you're the best. - Jon" 

The spine held out his arms and The Jon moved over to let him hug him tightly. 

"I love you too Jon." Spine whispered into his hair. 

"Take my hat and give it back when I wake up since you take it off so the time," Jon murmured nuzzling The Spines neck. 

Rabbit carefully moved over and joined her brothers, then everyone else trickled over and hugged them. 

They stayed there until The Jon finally whispered.

"I love you, goodnight."

And his cogs stopped.


End file.
